1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image production equipment having a mode memory function to store a plurality of image production modes and allowing access to the mode memory under voice direction.
2. Related Background Art
Conventional image production equipment can store copy modes set by an operator in its mode memory means. Usually, the numbers and/or characters registered by an operator and the copy modes having been already set are mapped into mode memory means.
When calling the copy modes stored in such mode memory means, first the numbers mapped with a plurality of copy modes into the mode memory means are displayed on a touch panel display unit as a soft key. And an operator depresses the soft keys of the corresponding numbers so as to call the contents of the copy modes and display the same on the display unit. Then the operator confirms the contents of the copy mode, so as to execute an image processing operation like copying.
However, with recent developments in image production equipment, the number of storable copy modes has increased, while the standard operating screens do not have enough space to locate all the keys for storable copy modes. Thus, the number of copy modes that can be directly called from the standard screen is limited.
Accordingly, some of the calling keys are not displayed on the standard screen, but on other screens, and an operator has to depress a plurality of keys for switching screens until the screen appears on which a required calling key is displayed.
Thus, image production equipment of the prior art has a problem such that the larger the number of storable copy modes becomes, the more keys an operator has to depress, and accordingly, the more time it takes to call the stored copy modes.